Improvement in straw-cutters



s MEPHA M; STRAW CUTTER.

Patented July 10. 1877:

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N.F'ETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON. D C- UNITED STATES PATENTQFFI.

SAMUEL MEPHAM, OF FAYETTE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAW-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,927, dated July 10,1877; application filed April 9, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MEPHAM, of Fayette, Fulton county, Ohio, haveinvented a new and Improved Feed-Gutter, of which the following is aspecification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved feed-cutter. Fig. 2 is arear elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. V

The object of my invention is to provide a feed-cutter for cuttingstraw, corn-stalks, &c., which is simple in construction, easilyoperated, and easily kept in repair.

In the drawing, A is a box for containing the straw, or other feed to becut, and a a are standards that support the same, and also thejournal-boxes of shaft B. This shaft is arranged parallel to the side ofbox A, and upon it, at the front end of the box, the wheel U is secured.Knives D, having edges that are convex in the direction of their length,are attached, by means of bolts, to two opposite arms of the said wheel,and are adjusted by set-screws so as to lightly touch the lower side ofthe mouth of the box A, as the wheel. is revolved.

E is a plate that is hinged in the mouth of the box A at b, and ispressed downward by a spring, 0, that is attached to a cross-bar, d,that connects the sides of the box A at its mouth.

F F are corrugated. rollers, whose shafts are journaled in the sides ofbox A. The upper surface of lower roll F projects slightly above thebottom of box A, and the upper roll F is placed a sufficient distanceabove the lower roll to admit of the passage of as much as can be cut bythe knives 1D. The rolls F F are caused to rotate, simultaneously, butin opposite directions, by the spur-wheels c, attached to their shafts.

Upon the shaft of the upper roll F a spurwheel, G, is placed, whichtakes its motion from a pinion, H, in the shaft I. This shaft isjournaled below the box A, and upon the end opposite the pinion H abevel-wheel, J, is secured, which takes its motion from a pinion, K, onthe shaft B. A crank, L, is placed on the shaft B in front of the wheel0, for operating the machine. An extension, M, is secured to the box Aby hooks f, for supporting corn-stalks, or other long feed.

By turning the crank L, the knives D are carried across the mouth of thebox A, and their curved edge produces a drawing out.

The feed is carried forward toward the knives by the rolls F F, and itis compressed by the plate E so as to present a compact body of the feedto the knives.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to. secureby Letters Patent- The combination, with box A, of the wheel 0, havingknives D, the spring-held hingeplate E, and rolls F F, all arranged asshown and described, for the purpose specified.

- SAMUEL MEPHAM. Witnesses: FRANK VERRIER, PERRY WOOLLAGE.

